Adventure briefs: Winter crabbing, waterfowl, deer seasons opening

Some Puget Sound areas open for crab

While some areas of Puget Sound have or will reopen for a winter crab season, people who want to catch crab in the South Sound will have to wait.

Shellfish managers from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife are still evaluating summer harvest data for marine areas 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island) and 13 (South Puget Sound). The department said any announcement of a winter season for these two areas would be announced at a later date.

The portion of Marine Area 9 north of the Hood Canal Bridge to a line connecting Foulweather Bluff to Olele Point, and all of Marine Area 12 opened Friday.

Marine Area 4 east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line, marine areas 5, 6, 7, 8-1, 8-2 and 10, and the remainder of area 9 will open Saturday.

Crabbing will be allowed seven days a week through Dec. 31.

The daily limits in all the areas is five crabs per day for Dungeness crabs, six crabs per day for red rock crabs, and six crabs per day for Tanner crabs. All Dungeness crabs retained during this time must be recorded on a winter catch record card.

Popular waterfowl, deer seasons near

Waterfowl hunting and hunting deer with a modern firearm, two of Washington’s most popular hunting seasons, will open Saturday.

“Deer hunting opportunities should be good in many parts of the state,” Jerry Nelson, state Department of Fish and Wildlife deer and elk manager, said in a news release.

He said last year’s deer harvest was the highest in since 2004. Improving prospects for this fall is that drought took less of a toll this summer and overwinter survival was favorable in most areas, Nelson said.

For waterfowl hunting, waterfowl manager Kyle Spragens said he expects another strong season.

“Conditions point to a good year for brood production, which is great for waterfowl hunters as long as enough rain falls during hunting season,” he said in the release.

Hunters can get a 2016 hunting season outlook for areas around the state by going to wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/prospects. Written by district biologists, the reports include local and up-to-date information on what upcoming seasons may hold.